When I saw my mom's missed call and voicemail shortly after landing in California a few weeks ago, I thought:

Oh how sweet! An early birthday call! I bet she's calling to see what gift I'd like her to dip into her retirement savings to purchase for me. No, no, actually, I bet she needs our address so she can send my birthday card that I'll carefully rip open, shake, and watch cash or a check fall out. I know, I'm coming to DC next week and she wants to know what I want her to cook for me...

And my pipe dream remained just that: a dream.

Instead I listened to my mother's quick, obligatory greeting immediately followed by, "YOU CAN'T EVEN CALL TO SEE HOW WE ARE DOING! WE HAVEN'T HAD POWER FOR THREE DAYS!!!"

While I'd been galavanting across the country, a "derecho" (also known as "kind-of-tornado-but-not-really") did some extensive damage in the Washington DC Metro and I had no idea. Then my husband made the passing comment, "Hey you haven't posted on your blog in a while..." and I knew at the very least I needed to post a quick update and check in.

Truth be told, I've actually spent the in-between time seeing old friends and meeting their new babies; trying to finish a draft of a different kind of "baby" (my first book); listening to Chief Justice John Roberts accept the motion for my admission into the Bar of the United States Supreme Court in the same room he would deliver the health care decision just a week later (only to have it butchered by almost every major media outlet); reflecting on death as I celebrated another year of life; and most importantly: successfully leading an entire wedding reception in the Cupid Shuffle (yes, I can hear you humming "down, down do your dance" right now).